Tonight, March 27, 2010 at 8:30 pm, we will be celebrating Earth Hour. This movement aims to make us aware of our responsibility in saving the planet though limiting power consumption.
To participate, just switch off your lights and other electric appliances from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm. This represents your vote to save Mother Earth. Saving electricity in turn lessens power plant production through coal fire, which reduces overall smoke emissions that leads to global warming.
Okay, lets participate but...HEY! WAIT A MINUTE! What are WE supposed to do while it's lights out?
Be creative! If you're a kid (or kid at heart) you could always...
1. Play your PSP or laptop? (rather not, it defeats the purpose of saving electricity...)
2. Play cards or boatd games - family bonding moment while playing pusoy and tong-its.
3. Eat - indulge while you bulge! It's like having an indoor picnic by the candle light. My advise - prepare bite-size merienda (like pandesal or cookies) before the event.
4. Sleep Early - and wake up bright and early the next day!
5. Talk it out - share stories, jokes, etc. with the family
6. Taguan pung - hehehe. Loved this game when I was a kid.
You may want to prepare some candles and batteries for tonight's event if you need light for other activities.
I encourage all to participate later - Earth Hour Philippines! Think about it - you can save our planet while saving on your Mercalco bill all at the same time!
:-)
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Earth Hour Tonight - It's All about Saving
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Moments of Pure Happiness - Contest Entry
If the contest required a title, I call it "Sweet Pa Rin Kami!" Entry#22: Sweet Pa Rin Kami! Please vote for my entry! Votes are part of the contest criteria. Click my photo above or click here to visit my entry on the contest site. 3 lucky voters have a chance to win 5,000 pesos in the draw. If you are interested in joining this contest, all you have to do is submit a photo of person(s) eating or sharing Cadbury products. You can do so in two ways. Either: 1) Submit a 640x480 JPEG file photo of your entry to www.momentsofpurehappiness.com.(Follow the instructions on the site for proper uploading.) 2) or you may mail a print of your photo to Cadbury Philippines located at: Unit 1607 16/F Antel Global Corporate Center Dona Julia Vargas Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig City 1605 Philippines *mailed entries must have the full name, complete address, contact numbers and email address of the participant. Criteria of the contest is as follows: a) Adherence to theme (moments of pure happiness while eating/sharing Cadbury) = 50% The grand prize is worth 50,000 pesos! WOW! That's a lot of money! Ang daming chocolate mabibili nyan :-) Consolation prizes up to 10,000 pesos are also at stake. To get to know more about the contest, click here for contest mechanics and guidelines. Btw, make sure your photo must have a clear shot of the Cadbury wrapper used in your compostition. Good luck to all those who will join!
The deadline for this submission is March 15, 2010. Deadline for voting is March 31, 2010.
b) Creativity = 50%
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Canoscanography Contest
Canon Philippines is sponsoring a contest called Cano Scanography. Scanography is a technique where you compose your image using a flat scanner - something similar to photography. 
The contest criteria are as follows:
Number of Likes 30%
Creativity 40%
Interpretation of Theme 30%
A certain theme has to be met for each month to win. This month's theme is about GRADUATION. The duration of this contest theme is from March 10, 2010 to April 10, 2010.
Next month, another theme will be chosen. Just wait for their next announcement.
This is such a COOL contest. I wish I could participate in this. I have yet to borrow a scanner to join this coz I don't own one. Sad part is most of the people I know do not have a scanner like me. Btw, the chances of winning are high because most people don't own a scanner, so few are joining. The prize is an all-in-one printer/scanner.
If anyone is interested, head over to their Facebook Page, be a fan of Canoscanography, and share your scanned image. The best part is, it's FREE to join! No entry fee or purchase is required.
For complete mechanics and guidelines, click here.
Anyone out there, pa-borrow naman ng scanner? Hehehe (halatang kuripot kasi ayaw bumili, but it's worth trying...) Good luck na lang to those who want to join.
P.S. Logo of Canoscanography and sample images belong to Canon. This site is not connected to Canon and has no control over the Canoscanography contest on Facebook.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Life in Taborea: The World of Runes of Magic
Fantasy Worlds are enticingly appealing specially for the young and adventurous at heart. Welcome to Taborea, the World of Runes of Magic! It is a world where heroes, mythical beasts and magic exist. But before anything else, what is Runes of Magic all about anyway?
Runes of Magic is fantasy role-playing game more popularly known as MMORPGs developed by e-games.
I am a big fan of Role playing games (RPGs). These type of games were one of the reasons I bought my beloved Playstation in the first place! The reason I love these games over the other genres is that they offer a vast world you can explore. Plus, you can improve your character by giving them equipment and items best suited for them. Finally, you get your character to gain experience and level up by defeating monsters along the way, giving them new skills and making your characters stronger! The hours and hours of gameplay is proof that RPGs definitely had me going!
MMORPGs are a whole new level of RPGs. The downside of traditional RPGs is that it lacks player interaction. The other characters in the RPG world you explore are either controlled by you or the computer. However, MMO (massively multiplayer online) games like Runes of Magic (ROM) allow you to interact with other players in Taborea, giving you a social life while playing. Banding together, chatting, play against each other, you name it! Runes of Magic can offer them and a whole lot more!
Another feature Runes of Magic can offer is that they have hundreds of quests for you to complete - and more to come! Single player RPGs are usually linear - meaning they can only have one ending. Once you complete it, GAME OVER! But it is a different story in ROM. The many quests the game offers, some difficult and requires other players' help will keep any player's long-term interest. In Taborea, the story never ends...
To shorten this post, I made two separate posts for those interested in Runes of Magic and to supplement this one at the same time.
Life in Taborea: A brief history
- a brief history and background of the game.
Life in Taborea: What could I be in Runes of Magic?
- a brief explanation on character classes
------------------------------------------------------
And now, my scenario for my life in Taborea....
So I opened my laptop to check out stuff in the internet. "Hmmm... Nothing new or interesting on Youtube...", I muttered. But as I checked my e-mail for incoming mail, I was surprised to see a disturbing message.
from Anonymous: "My Lord, help us, we beg of you! Please..."
On that message, a link was pasted below. I was hesitant to click it for it might trigger a computer virus. But my curiosity got the better of me. I clicked on the link which led me straight to what seemed to be an online role playing game. Funny, but it seemed that I am already logged in with a character to use in the game.
As I fiddled around with the controls, slowly I felt being drawn into the game. The more I played, the more the world I tread was coming to life. Then, I suddenly realized, I'm no longer in front of my laptop anymore. I am now a part of that world!Alone and confused, I tried assess my situation. At that moment, I was wearing thick armor, while bearing sword and shield. "Lucky I am well-equipped...", I said to myself.
I looked around my current position. It was a vast wilderness, filled with wolves and strange beasts. Not far off, a group of peasants were being chased by one of the beasts.
"Help us please!" The peasants loud cries can be heard across the plains.
I was compelled to save them. With all my might, I chased after the beast pursuing them. I was able to catch up to the beast and slayed it with my blade."Thank you sir for saving us...", one of the peasants gestured in glee.
"It's alright...but tell me where am I?"
Another peasant reacted, "You are at the passage to the Howling Mountains. Thank Ayvenas, you were here to save us! Sir, may I ask... Are you not Sir Damiel Alndor?"
"Damiel who?", I reacted to my surprise.
"Yes! You are! You are Sir Alndor! The Relentless one. The bards songs' tell us of your tale all over Kolydia! You bear the family crest!". The peasant pointed the skull and crossbones mark on my shield.Still confused, I asked again..."I don't really know where I am. Could you give me directions to the nearest city? I have a lot of questions on my mind..."
"The nearest city is Varanas! Just travel north across this road and surely you will reach the city."
After thanking the peasants for their hospitality, I traveled north until I reached the city gates.
Varanas looked like a fortified medieval city from the outside. Its walls were meters high preventing invaders from taking the city. Still confused, I asked the guards at the front gate where to get more info. One of them also recognized me as "Sir Knight Alndor" just like the peasant before.
"Sir Alndor! Please head to the Council of Varanas immediately! The high council awaits you.", his message just made me more confused than ever. "Why summon me? I just arrived here..."
Seeking more answers, I went straight to the council. The guards told me that they were awaiting me at the Guild's hall located at the south of the city.Meeting the council members made me feel uneasy - as if their were to bring ill-fated news. I was right. The grand councilor told me that I must be sent off on an important mission. The council found out from the Eye of Wisdom that the Demon Lord will rise again based on the prophesy of the Oracle. It would be my quest to prevent that from happening for the sake of Taborea - their world.
"Why me?" I asked myself. It seemed that the torn pages of Taborea's future was sewn into me. Finally, I accepted the fact that it was indeed destiny.And so, I asked the council what to do in order to stop the Demon Lord from re-awakening. The elder replied, " You should go stop the demon spawn from obtaining the Greater Rune of Awakening.
The rune has the power to re-awaken the imprisoned Demon Lord. Go now, across the Savage Lands, to the Aotulia region where the Rune of Awakening resides. We have received reports that a horde of demon spawn are headed there to claim it for their master. We must move quickly to claim the Rune and move it to a safer location."What happens if I fail?" I asked.
"Then all will be doomed! For the Demon Lord has the power to open the portal to the nether world and call forth his Demon kin. We must not let Taborea fall into Chaos once more..."
My mission was clear. I should stop the Demon Lord from awakening, then go home...
Going to the Savage Lands will not be an easy task. I will need a party of 6 in order to continue the perilous odyssey. The council already provided me a priest by the name of Cygnus, and a female mage named Xervanas. She is half-elf and half-human.
The pub located at
Varanas' east wing is a place for 'interesting' people. I needed a fighter with good sword skills. Being a fighter myself, I can easily tell who is best suited for the quest. Finally I found one willing to join - for a price. His name is Draden the Warrior. I made a promise to him that whatever powerful sword we might scavenge along the way will be his spoils. Hopefully he will fulfill his end of the bargain.I also recruited Jayna, a female rogue. She wanted to tag along since she was headed to the Savage lands as well. It was common knowledge that it would be dangerous to travel alone.
Just outside the equipment shop, I was able to meet up with a scout. His name is Gonges. His stance suggests he is an excellent marksman. He wanted to join our group so that he could gain more hunting experience. Needing his vaunted skills, I easily let him join.
Now there are six of us and are on our to journey to the Savage Lands. It is known that these lands are home to the most cunning and ferocious of beasts. We made sure we had enough provisions of food and medicine to last.It was five days since we traveled north to Silverspring. By far, none of our encounters were able to stop our advance. It seemed that I was able to form a team of fine warriors. However day six was a different story.
A minotaur comm
ander blocked our path towards the savage lands. He and his fellow minotaurs demanded tribute from our caravan, filled with supplies. I couldn't afford giving our precious cargo since, we still had a long journey ahead.
I told my team, "We can't give in to his demands. Comrades, prepare to fight..."
The minotaur commander proved to be a worthy challenge. We tried to cut him down, but his thick hide prevented us from slicing him to shreds. He was strong and agile. Wielding a large battle axe, he rammed straight to our cleric's position while his lackeys followed from behind. We were pushed back by their onslaught.
My fellow heroes haven't given up, so do I. With my sheer will, I faced the minotaur commander myself and bellowed my war cry, "I AM THE STEEL WALL! I SHALL NOT FALL!"
Then...
back to reality...
The battle may have been lost, but one day we shall rise again. Mark my words brethren... we shall rise again.To know more about the contest, click here for details...
Life in Taborea: What I could be in Runes of Magic?
There are six classes to choose from. If you are not familiar with classes, think of it as some kind of school or discipline. In the game, you might want to ask yourself: what would you want to be when you grow up? You may want to become a...
1) Warrior - the wild beast in battle
A fighter who is well rounded in the battlefield. Preferrably for those who want close quarter combat. Generally weak against multiple ranged foes.
2) Knight - the steel wall
This class is the ultimate tank. They have high hit points (HP) and strong armor making them difficult to take down. Preferrably used for those who want close quarter combat.
3) Scout - wanderer of the vast contitents
A fighter who wields bows and arrows. Normally attacks at a distance and can withstand close quarter combat from weaker foes.
4) Rogue - the cunning stealther
The dagger is his weapon of choice. Speed and stealth is his primary advantage.
5) Priest - the medium for wonder
Has the knowledge of healing magic. Generally a weak attacker when alone, but great as a defensive support for his teammates.
6) Mage - master of elements
A ranged attacker using different magics at his disposal. Preferrably attacks from a distance.
Choosing a class depends on how you approach the game. Maybe you want your character class to reflect your disposition in real life. Others may want to take the opposite apporach. Do you want to take the lead (knight/warrior)? Or do you want to stay in the sidelines (priest/mage)? Do you want to hit and run? (scout/rogue) Either way, it is important to know the different classes and the way their skills interact in Taborea.
Btw, if you are a newbie in ROM, you can always read the user's guide, experiment, interact with other players or ask a friend or two who is familiar with RPGs! Soon enough, you'll get the hang of living in a world of adventure in Taborea!
:-)
P.S. For more info about the game, you may visit Runes of Magic website. All images belong to e-games and Runes of Magic. I do not claim rights nor ownership of the said material.
Life in Taborea: A brief history
Taborea was once a book of recorded plant and animal life but today, myths and legends now exist. The god Ayvenas created this book where he recorded the origins of life. From his wishes came forth the world and heavens of Taborea. Despite this achievement, he still felt lonely - thus he molded clay and formed it into the first life forms.
Ayvenas noticed that his creations were very weak and had no knowledge to protect themselves. And so, he wrote incarnations of himself through envoys into Taborea to teach skills and abilities. Not before long, the life forms learned and banded together according to their traits and characteristics - the world's races were born.
One day, Ayvenas imagined "what if Taborea became imbalanced?" His unconscious idea 
affected the peoples of Taborea. Because of their differences, some people banded together for peace while others fought amongst each other. Ayvena's elementals - the guardians of balance, mixed with different creatures, which spawned magical beings, dragons being the most powerful. The envoys he sent to teach his people started having consciousness of their own. This was the age of myths.
When Ayvenas realized that he was no longer in control, he decided to rip Taborea's pages of the future. He intended that the future of Taborea will be shaped by his people, but his envoys did not realize his intentions at first. They tried to restore the torn pieces, but later realized Ayvena's plan. Soon they were recalled by Ayvenas and the age of myths came to an end.
Without the envoys, the peoples of Taborea were left to fend for themselves. Soon, they banded together, and nations were formed. The humans were the fastest to develop and had great knowlege of the runes - they were known as the Ancient kingdoms.
The great knowledge of the Ancient Kingdoms could not contain man's greed. Soon, wars began to escalate. This was the time dragons and elementals were enslaved by man to secure their kingdoms' victory - this was known as the War of Balanzasar. Eventually the dragons and elementals were able to break free from their chains and brought down retribution to man (divine punishment). After that, these mystic beings fled to other lands never to be found.
Even though mans' control over the mystical beings were no more, that did not stop them from continuing their wars. And so, the stonger nations' leaders used the runes to transform their bodies into powerful beings called daemons (demons). Because of their great power, they became indifferent and oppressive to man. This was the Age of Chaos.
The demons' oppression to man became the stepping stone to a new alliance. Weaker nations banded together to ovethrow the corrupt demons. This alliance caused a great war, and eventually mankind won and the demons were banished to the "World of the Void". Only a tenth of mankind survived this ordeal.
A brief Epoch of Peace followed. The peoples of Taborea were now united against demonkind. But not all the demons were banished, some were able to flee to unknown lands. In order to secure peace, the humans developed gigantic stone statues out of the most powerful magic. Emotionless monsters with free will and intellect, they were called "guardians".
However, the "guardians" one day concluded that the real threat to Taborea was humankind, and decided to annahilate them. Since man did not have any power to stop the guardians, the ancient people had no choice but to flee to other lands. This was the Epoch of Storm.
The unrelenting "guardians" hunted down the humans to the ends of the world. However, in their quest to other lands, they encountered the dragons and elementals, who considered them the threat to the world. The mand-made guardians were no match for the mystical creatures and one by one, they were destroyed. Other "guardians" were lost in their hunt and eventually fell into slumber.
The peoples of the ancient civilization lost everything after being driven away by their creations - their home, their knowledge of magic and machines... as if they were defenseless like in the beginning of time. This was the time of great fear - the Epoch of Darkness.
The survivors of the Epoch of Storm migrated to another continent called Kolydia. There, the peoples lived in simple tribes and came to be known as barbarians. They had no knowledge of runes and learning magic was slow. Machinery was a staple in everyday life. Soon, the tribes developed into nations, and the power of the runes were slowly being discovered. As technology progressed, the power of transporting to different regions of the world were once again unlocked. Fast paced transportation allowed knowledge of lost magics to be harnessed once more.
Today, Taborea is on the Age of Discovery.
P.S. For more info about the game, you may visit Runes of Magic website. All images belong to e-games and Runes of Magic. I do not claim rights nor ownership of the said material. Click here to read more...
Monday, February 22, 2010
"Studs" - My Football Shoe Story
As far as I could remember, it was the most important game of my life - the intramurals football finals. We barely managed to get there after battling it out with rival sections from our batch.
I was in elemenrary back then. It was during those years I grew fond of football. My interest sparked with this game when a friend asked me to fill in for him in one game. After that, I decided to play more, and finally decided to sign up for the class team.
After winning most of our games, and winning the semis, we were set to have a shot at the finals. We knew that our opponents were not going to be that easy. They had a couple of 'star' players in their roster - players who can handle the ball so well, they can pass by you in an instant.
And so, before our two teams met on the day of the finals, we decided to practice after class. We did some drills, practice runs and some shooting in case of tie breakers. As a team, we were not willing to lose without a fight.
During the last few days before the finals, the weather was not as cooperative. We were visited by a typhoon that time. Its winds were not as strong but it dumped a signficant amount of rain. Every afternoon after that, heavy rains fell and made our football field into a pool of mud.
Still, that did not discourage the team to practice. We had our football gear- a pair of football shoes. Unlike an ordinary pair, this pair has studs or spikes underneath, which prevents the player to slide in the mud while running during the game.
Mine was a black pair with red and white stripes. At that time, I already used it for a year. It had thirteen studs underneath.
The day of the finals finally came. It didn't rain that day, but the football field was still a pool of mud. My position was at full-back, the defensive spot nearest the goal keeper. For two halves of the game, I had to prevent the other team from getting a clear shot to our goal.
Running around our football field was a little difficult despite wearing football shoes. For one, the field did not dry up evenly. The are portions where mud became so viscose, when stepped on, your foot tends to sink a little. It is like stepping on quciksand!
After the 1st half of the game, the score was still tied at 0-0. Then, teams will have to switch sides on the field. After the swith, I felt luck was no longer on my side because my spot had the quicksand feel.
Still, that did not prevent me from giving my best. Whenever the opponent tried to make a shot, I desperately tried to block it. I would constantly tell myself to move when the need arises. During the final minutes of the 2nd half, my feet felt cold and my thighs numb. Pain and all, that didn't prevent me from doing what I was supposed to do - to lessen the opponent's chances to score.
Finally, me and my team's efforts have paid out. One of my teammates was able to land a shot. When the referee blew the whistle, the score ended at 1-0. We were the victors.
After we did our high-fives and returning to the bleachers to change, that was when I realized something was amiss. No wonder my feet felt cold during the last part of the game! The entire underneath of my left shoe got removed, while the one on my right shoe is about to be detached. Spikes and all, the detached portion was still out there, buried in the mud.
That was the end of my beloved football shoes.
I had mixed feelings about what had transpired. Sad, because it was also my first pair of football shoes. It was a pair I would always treasure. Happy, because we won the game. Nostalgic, because, I wouldn't have gone far without my pair.
P.S. This is my entry to The Red Shoes story contest.
To get to know more about the contest, please visit http://www.theredshoes.com.ph/ or at Nuffnang Philippines.
Click here to read more...
Saturday, February 13, 2010
What is my most natural running experience?
Antipolo has always been my second home. Just an hour's ride from Metro Manila, it offers an escape from the rat race of city life. My father has a house in Antipolo City, and at times I go up there to visit him and mellow down.
One time before, around May 2004, if I recall, I made a resolve to finish a long distance run. That was during the time, I started jogging after I got out from office. I do my routine around four times a week. When my father found out about it, he recommended that I do my jogging on Sundays in Antipolo. At first I was reluctant, because I felt the place was too far to go to. I can't imagine myself going out of the way just to do my running routine there. First off, I really wasn't into long distance running. During my elementary years, I used to play soccer and do sprints, but not at long distances. Embarrassing, but at that time, I could only barely finish a 3 kilometer run. It made me feel weak afterward. I even thought, I would never be able to run farther because it doesn't suit my body. It didn't feel natural.
Still, I dreamed that one day I could go the distance. It wasn't in me to give up that easily. I always wanted to be like the other runners out there, who are able to endure and cross the finish line. And so, after a few weeks of contemplation, I decided to accept father's invitation. We left for Antipolo Saturday night where I plan to sleep there, and do my routine Sunday morning.
Sunday came. When I got up from bed, around 6:45 am, father was already dressed up for the run! I never thought that he wanted to come along. He looked so excited, even more than I was. Curiously, I asked why he wanted to join me and he said, he really needed the exercise.
After we took breakfast, we left towards our jogging site. It was just nearby, around 500 meters from his house. We went downhill, where the sitio residents fetch their drinking water in the morning. When we got there, to my surprise, our jogging site was a large underdeveloped area, which looked like an uncompleted subdivision. It has roads, but no houses, and never maintained for years. Grass and foliage has grown on the roads. Twigs and leaves are scattered all over the place as if nature reclaimed the place once more.
Looks deserted, I thought at first, but was proven wrong when a bunch of kids rushed to greet us!
"Daddy! Daddy!" The kids would call out. That is how they address my father. Most of the children there are relatives of mine. My father is their uncle.
Incidentally, the kids were just playing there. Naturally, they were there because it was a Sunday. There was no school, and the place was ideal for playing. Cars don't pass by that area, and won't interfere with their games, or cause any vehicular accident.
I wondered if the place was safe being deserted and all, so I asked my father about it.
"Yes it is!" he replied, "specially for children because adults pass by from time to time to fetch water."
After a few minutes of warm-up, we decided to hit the trail. We picked a simple route. We just jogged around the place by going round four streets, which led back to the place we started. I thought it was a boring trail at first, but after a few minutes of the run, I was proven wrong. The scenery looked great! There were trees that provide shade, and the cool breeze felt fresh and calm.
The roads weren't boring either. They go uphill and downhill. The uphill portion was definitely very tiring for me. I felt I wanted to quit my pace as I traversed, but seeing father try so hard, I wasn't willing to give up. Another reason for not giving up is that, the kids followed us through the course of the run! They were jogging with us from behind, as if they found a new game to play. Actually, they were curious, and kept asking my father what we were doing.
"Bakit kayo nag-dya jogging?" asked the kids.
"Nag-e exercise kami!" father explained.
Children are children, so they tend to ask a lot. Eventually we were answering them and sometimes laughing at their silly questions. We were actually having fun while entertaining the kids!
I couldn't help but notice the kids not getting tired that easily. They were not bothered by the distance, nor the uphill/downhill road. They even made a contest out of who is the fastest runner among them while we were doing our normal pace! Watching them made me re-think my reasons for running.
Every Saturday evening after that, I would go to Antipolo to do my Sunday jogging routine. Sometimes my father would accompany me during my run. Naturally, the children were always there at the site, playing their games, and greeting me with their warm welcome as I go about my rounds. Eventually, my body was able to adjust to the distance. A few months later I was able to complete my first 10K fun run.
Looking back, I wish I could be just like them some more. They taught me something valuable - that running is about having an active lifestyle while having fun! This for me is my most natural running experience.
P.S. Recently I went back to Antipolo and did some jogging with my father. We brought bottles of Minute Maid to drink after our run.
My father enjoying his bottle of Minute Maid
Wala po ba kami? Exclaimed one kid, while my father drinks his share of Minute Maid.
I prepared couple of big bottles of Minute Maid for the kids to enjoy.
Some of the kids keep horsing around while enjoying their Minute Maid. I took a photo of their funny reaction.
I had my share of Minute Maid! After that we headed home for breakfast.
Minute Maid and Running! The keys to having an active lifestyle and having fun!
This is my entry to the blog contest sponsored by takbo.ph and Minute Maid.
To get to know more about this blog contest, click here for details...
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